Before Her Eyes
by Chicleeblair
Summary: Alanna is sending one child off to get his shield, but she knows she cannot forget his sister, the girl who is growing up too fast. An Aly and Alanna moment


Aliane of Pirate Swoop sat crosslegged on her bed, scowling as she listened to the hubbub outside her door as Alan's trunks were packed. She heard the occasional cry of "Ma, have you seen my dress hose or Da I cannot find my belt purse!" but the majority of the noise came from outside her window where holsters were preparing the horses that would take her mother, Alanna the Lioness and King's Champion, and her twin brother Alan to Corus where he was to become a page. Aly would be left alone with her father, the only child of Pirate Swoop without a mission.

Thom was entering his third year at the University in Corus and had departed a week earlier with their adopted uncle Numair and Aunt Daine.Aly had vastly enjoyed their visit, and always loved hearing Aunt Daine's stories of her adventures during the Immortals war. Her mother had been acting odd throughout the whole visit, not that her mother was not often odd, she kept sending Aly strange looks from accross the room It was unnerving.

As if Alanna could read her mind, Aly's bedroom door opened suddenly and there she stood, bright red hair frazzled from the harrying task of preparing Alan for the trip. Aly glanced at her mother for a minute and then looked away, finding her eyes were filling with sudden tears. It was not as if she were not used ot her mother's comings and goings, but she had been home a while this time and Alan was leaving with her this time.

She felt the bed bounce as her mother sat down on it. "Oh, my darling Aliane, what am I to do with you?" she asked, putting a hand on Aly's back and running it through her strawberry blonde hair. Despute efforts not to Aly sank back into her mother's touch and began to cry. "Oh, love, don't." She pulled the girl to her. At ten Aly was getting to be nearly as tall as her mother. She stroked Aly's hair and held her against her.

When the girl's sobs subsided Alanna sighed. "How about this, then. If you really want to, in a year, maybe your father and I will rethink our decision not to let you try for your sheild." To Alanna's surprise Aly began to cry again.

"That's just it, Ma, I don't know that I _want_ to try for my shield. Not like Alan does. Nor like you did."

"Oh sweetheart, that's fine. You don't have to! You'll find what you want to do, it just may take a while. Look at Duke Baird's sone Nealan, he was fifteen before he decided to try for his sheild, and he's done just fine. Not everyone knows their path in life when they are ten."

"You did," the little girl said, sniffing.

Alanna laughed, which surprised her daughter. "Me? Godess, no! All I knew was that I did not want to spend my days learning to be a 'proper young lady' any more than you do! Being a knight seemed glorious, and so I did it."

Aly sat up, wiping her runny nose with the back of her hand. Alanna silently handed her a handkerchief. "What if- well this sounds silly, but Ma, what if Alan forgets about me?"

Alanna sighed, suddenly knowing how alone the girl was feeling. She had been so close to her own twin, and well, nothing good had happened from their being seperated.

"Aly, you and Alan are much too close for that. And with you being here you can write him incredible amounts of letters. Perhaps he won't be able to write as much, but he'll enjoy getting them. You'll see him in the summer, and when you go to court this Mid-Winter. It's not easy, but he'll always be you twin brother, no matter what." She kissed her daughter on the forehead and stood up.

She was nearly to the door when Aly called out, "Ma? It's not just Alan. I'm going to miss you too." Alanna turned around and for a second, sitting on the bed looking at her with wide eyes, she saw the young woman Alianne was becoming, and also the child that she herself had been, growing up with no attention from her father. She walked back over and wrapped Aliy in her arms.

"I shall miss you too, my Aly. Pepper me with letters as much as you want. I have to make sure Da's taking care of this old place." Alianne laughed. "There now. Come along down and say farewell to that brother of yours." Aly scampered off down the hallway, but Alanna lingered in the girl's bedroom, wishing that she had more time to spend with just her little girl. Alianne was a free spirit, that was sure, and Alanna was saddened to think of all of the momments she had missed watching as Alianne grew into life.

She told herself that she would try to make it home as soon as possible, but the next time she did it was too late. A young woman had taken the place of her little girl.


End file.
